Posted by John Boyd
on 30 Nov 2010. Filed under Politics, Top news.
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Parliament starts debate on budget and key issues

Slovak Parliament - photo (c) John Boyd

The parliamentary session that starts today, 30 November, will deal with some hot issues, including the final shape of the 2011 state budget.

In the budget the government projects with a public finance deficit of EUR 3.8 billion, based on receipts of EUR 13.1 billion and expenditures of EUR 16.9 billion.

MPs will firstly discuss various revisions to tax laws, which are linked to the public finance consolidation plans of the government. These include a revision to the Act on VAT, Act on Income Tax, and legislation on excise duty for tobacco products, beer and mineral oils.

Another issue to be dealt with is the amendment to the Act on Social Insurance aimed adjusting the system of pension valorisation and the amount to be paid as parental allowance, which should be set at a standard rate of EUR 190 a month.

Other issues that parliament will debate on have been sensitive to date, as they include the vote on how MP salaries should be cut, and the vote on the new Attorney General, which has caused friction within the governing coalition. The race for the 7-yr term of office as Attorney General will be fought by present AG, Dobroslav Trnka and the coalition-backed Jozef Centes. This crucial vote will take place on Thursday, 2 December.